Blogs

The use of pesticides is hotly debated, but arguments around it are often absolute and lack nuance. The government derogation for farmers to use the neonicotinoid thiamethoxam on sugar beet this year (dependent on evidence of potentially yield threatening levels of pests) created lots of headlines, plenty of outrage and, at the time of writing, 50,597 signatures to reverse the decision.

The original blog we wrote has, not surprisingly, generated some comment, particularly with respect to the suggestion of a derogation on its use on kale in wild bird cover.

On the face of it, we should welcome the research published in Science that improved crop performance can be achieved in hard soils through gene modification. Whilst soil compaction does restrict crop yields, the solution is more complex than to just adapt plant genetics. Soil health is in decline generally and compacted soils cause a number of environmental problems too.

Farmer Time is an ongoing connection, where the farmer and their class link up for fortnightly video calls looking at what is happening on the farm and how it relates to the school curriculum.

The response of some conservation NGOs to the news that Defra has given emergency authorisation of a neonicotinoid seed treatment for sugar beet in 2021 has been scare-mongering and emotive. In our view Defra’s decision is proportionate – and here is why.

“We want to support the choices that farmers and land managers take on their holdings,” writes George Eustice in the foreword of Defra’s Agricultural Transition Plan, launched on 30 November. For farmers working under the trappings of the Common Agricultural Policy, this will provide a welcome sense of relief. In fact, much of the 66-page report will.

Watch farmer Graham Denny discussing the important conservation work farmers do with Jimmy Doherty on the Channel 4 series Jimmy's Big Bee Rescue.

Dr David Parish talks us through what's been happening at the Game & Wildlife Scottish Demonstration Farm at Auchnerran, on the publication of its first annual report.

Living in the middle of nowhere is difficult at the best of times. But when a global pandemic hits and you’re not allowed near civilisation, different challenges arise. Limited to brief once-weekly interactions with our boss and farm research assistant Marlies, and the occasional grunt and wave from the farmer Allan, it would be easy to start losing your mind a bit. Thankfully, spring was on hand.